Pick the fruits of your family tree

You might have an amazing family history, but if you have never investigated your ancestors, you could be missing some truly remarkable stories.

Join Willamette Writers Coast Chapter and Laurence Overmire, author and genealogist, at Newport Public Library this Saturday, May 18, to learn more about how researching your family tree can help in the writing of fiction, non-fiction, memoir or poetry.

The presentation will examine the big picture of our ancestral heritage. Why it is so meaningful and important. How it inspires people to discover who they are. When genealogy becomes a part of your knowledge base, it can impact areas of your writing such as characterization, dialog or point of view.

Overmire has a multi-faceted career that also includes director and educator. As one of the pioneers in online research, he has helped thousands of people discover their family roots. His how-to-book, “Digging for Ancestral Gold: The Fun and Easy Way to Get Started on Your Genealogy Quest” offers an easy, step-by-step process to finding your own ancestral gold.

The author of seven genealogy books, including six epic family histories, he has researched early immigrants to America, tracing not only their celebrated ancestors, but also prominent Americans who descended from them.

Saturday’s program begins at 2 pm at Newport Public Library, located at 35 NW Nye Street. For more information, go to willamettewriters.org.